Which
by Crazee Canadia
Summary: A headless and heartless mannequin, a house with no color, two pictures on two doors, and only one way out. Who leaves, however, is your choice.
1. Wake

****Author's note? What author's note? ****

When I became cognizant from what felt like a long sleep, I was standing in front of a large window. Out that window, I saw nothing but a white abyss, a seemingly tasteless outside setting.

I pulled my hands out of my pockets from where I must've had them shoved in while I admired this nothingness in insentience. _Where am I_? That was the only question I could ask, blinking at the glass pane.

Finally, I decided to turn around to take a gander at the room. I was shocked to see there was absolutely nothing – just a room colored with grays, white, and black. Not only did this made me feel uncomfortable, I felt the need to cry – I felt alone, alone!

I lifted my hand up to my bangs to push them out of the way, but jumped when I saw it. My skin… was such a depressing shade of gray!

Why was I seeing in black and white? I asked myself that over and over as I looked at my clothes, seeing that they weren't their usual colors. I broke out into a cold sweat, panting before I tried to make a whimper – but no sounds could be produced by my vocal cords.

I stumbled backwards until I hit the window, sliding down the wall to the floor, where I proceeded to cry. I felt…empty, sad, and confused… like I was going insane. The feeling that you get when you can't see color, when you can't speak – I wanted to scream!

Finally, I brought my hands away from my face before I saw something on the wall to my left.

White chalk scribbled on the wall to make an arrow, telling me to head into the room in front of where I was currently sitting. When did that get there, and why was it there?

For some reason, I trusted the arrow, slowly getting up and walking into the next room.

A screen door with a chalk heart caught my attention first, scaring me a little. I tried looking inside, but all I saw was another gray wall – the sickening color still making my own heart race.

I turned and faced the rest of the room – a kitchen. The chalk on the walls depicted arrows pointing up and down at the cabinets. After going through all of them, I found only one thing – a key. It fell onto my face while I was looking at a top cabinet – the last one I was going to go through, as the rest were empty – causing me to fall backwards onto the floor in fright.

Picking it up, I admired how plain it looked – the general key shape in a white color. I looked back up at the walls, seeing all of the chalk had been replaced with one arrow pointing to a door opposite the counters.

Little by little, I inched over to the door and unlocked it, opening to see that it was a bathroom. _Right next to a kitchen? How awkward._

I saw another key in the sink, but as I reached in to grab it a sound caused me to jump – I became dizzy from the sudden speed increase my heart just had before I hit the floor.

The sound….I thought I heard breathing… I though I heard my name. Someone calling me in a quiet voice – "Alfred, Alfred, why are you still downstairs, Alfred?"

I regained consciousness, looking up at the ceiling in distress. I wanted to leave, I wanted to yell a demand to be released, but my vocals still weren't working.

After a while I was on my knees again, looking at the sink to see the key was gone. Since it wasn't in my hand, I assumed I dropped it and let it fall down the pipe. _Damn it. I hope there's a wrench or something around here…_

I left the bathroom and went back into the room I first awoke in, seeing some stairs that I missed earlier. After trying to look up to see what else there was, I gave in and began climbing them.

The first door I saw had a one scribbled on it in chalk, same with its neighboring door that had a two. I mindlessly entered the first door, seeing the room had another window, a door, and a dresser. I dashed over to the door, trying to open it, but threw my arms down in frustration when I found it was locked.

The pictures on the wall next to me caught my attention. A picture equation – key plus open door equals one human, but it does not equal key open door plus two humans.

Not only did it confuse me, it frightened me even more. Where in the hell is this place?

I decided that it'd be best to try and find another way out, so I dug through the dresser only to find another key in the middle drawer. It was just like the last key I used; except it had a tag attached at had the number two.

I left the one room and stood in front of the second, about to unlock the door when I heard the voice again – "Alfred…what took you so long?" I looked around, only to see that there was a door behind me with a head drawn on in chalk. Disturbing, very disturbing.

My sweaty hands still turned the key, twisted the knob, and pushed the door open. I needed to hurry and leave, hurry and leave…

In front of me was another dresser; to the right was a window.

Standing before that window was probably the most terrifying sight I'd ever seen. I tried to scream, even though I had to vocals, and once again I found myself on the floor.

A mannequin… with no head, and a heart shape cut out where the human heart stays, covered in light gray blood! Breathing – I saw it breathing!

_The hell, what is that? _

Nothing happened for a minute or so before its arm shot up, pointing at the wall next to it, as if it wanted me to see something.

I shook my head, trying to say that I didn't want to be here anymore, but the mannequin only shook his finger at the wall.

Standing back up took forever, getting to where I could see the chalk picture took even longer – but I wish I took even longer than I did.

There was the same heart drawing from the screen door, a slash, and then a head in front of an equal sign and an open door. I looked at the mannequin, realizing that it was missing both of the pictured items.

Then it clicked. Maybe it needed both of them before I could leave!

Just as I came to the realization, the mannequin scooted to where it was right next to me, as if it were telling me to hurry. Frightening, yes.

I scampered back to the dresser, quickly opening and closing drawers until I found another key and a wrench – convenient.

Since I couldn't speak, I pointed towards the stairs to try and tell the mannequin that was where I was going – but then I remembered it had no head. So I turned and left the room, expecting it to be there when I returned.

Wouldn't one almost fall down the stairs when they see a headless, heartless mannequin standing right behind them when they turn around? I was scared shitless, flying down the stairs to the bathroom so I could hurry and get the key. Every time I looked behind me, there was that damned mannequin!

It waited for me while I undid the sink pipe and gained the key, chasing me once again as I rushed upstairs to find another door.

The third door opened a room with two keys lying in the middle of the floor. I knelt down and picked both of them up, admiring the tags that were attached. One with the heart picture, the other with the head picture.

I turned around once more, seeing the mannequin standing there, clapping its hands in a bored manner. I swore I heard a voice say, "Good job, Alfred. Good job."

I looked back down at the keys, figuring they both led to rooms that had the needed parts for the mannequin. Which one would I go to first?

* * *

><p><strong>**There are two endings, the real ending and the alternate. Which one is which, however, is up to you. **<strong>


	2. Head

****Head ending. ****

Figuring that the mannequin didn't have a preference about which part it got back first, I put the heart key in my pocket. Time to go get the head!

Scooting around the mannequin, I went to the door with the head on it, turning around to look back at my follower nervously. Would it want me to put it on for it, or could it manage? The though of holding a head not on a body sickened me, making me gag as I unlocked the door once we got to it.

I took a deep breath, looking back at the mannequin once more. It stood there, arms behind its back like it was patiently waiting. "What are you waiting for, Alfred?"

The voice reminded me; the sooner I got out the better.

I edged the door open, poking my head in before bringing in the rest of my body.

Another bathroom. I inwardly groaned, looking in the tub and the sink before I threw the toilet lid up – what the hell was that looking up at me!

A head, lying in the toilet bowl like it was a normal thing to do. This sight, disgusting, grotesque! I wanted to look away, and never see it again!

But…

I couldn't help but stare, those eyes… they were violet! Empty, dead eyes, still full of color! The only color in this entire hell hole!

The face… so familiar…

Suddenly, I felt hands grab my shoulders, pulling me back away from the toilet before shoving me into the hallway. I watched as the mannequin snatched up its head, stroking it like it was a pet dog, "Ah, my precious head…" I heard the voice say. "…my head…"

It kept repeating those words, the mannequin slowly lifting its head up while facing me – as if I'd enjoy this gruesome show! What is there to enjoy about violet eyes, laughing at your fear, and that mouth moving as it chants?

_P-Please…stop that! _I thought, eyes getting wider and wider. The voice only got louder, and the head began to smile as it continued chanting, "…my head, my head, I'm reunited with my head… my head, my head, I'm reunited with my head…"

_Stop! _I begged, looking down and grabbing my head, _Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop! Please! Stop!_

The voice continued.

_Stop!_

"...reunited…"

_I'm begging you!_

"…with my head…"

After that, the voice faded away. I opened one of my eyes and looked back up at the mannequin, now making final adjustments to his head before his arms fell to his sides in relief. He blinked at me a few times, his eyes never leaving mine, before looking as if he remembered something. He then pushed past me again, dashing to the first room I came across when I came upstairs.

_W-wait,_ I chased after him; _we haven't gotten your heart yet!_

When I got to the room, he was tugging at the door, kicking it, doing everything he could to get it open.

I approached him, reaching out to tap his shoulder, before he suddenly stopped.

I looked at him questioningly, watching as he turned to face the wall. He stared at the wall for a second before he lifted up his hand, dragging his finger across the chalk pictures as if he was reading them.

The pictures! I forgot all about those! Maybe he understood what they meant! _Hey… do you know what that says?_

He reached the end of the line of pictures, nodding and bringing his hand down, "Ah, I understand…" the voice said, "…Alfred…"

I leaned forward a little bit, anticipating what he was going to say next. _What?_

He just stood there, arms limp by his sides, head looking down at the floor. I watched as his fingers began to shake violently, heard his breathing become erratic, bringing his head up, "…ah, shit…"

My own heart was uncontrollable at this point, it hurt my entire chest, and all I could manage was to ask him, _Are you okay? Does this mean something bad? Why are you acting like this?_

"…Alfred…" he said again, "…thank you."

That was when he spun around so quickly, his face now his all of his facial features aside from his eyes – now empty, and gray, horrifying – and holding a knife tightly in his hand above his head as if to stab me!

It took me no time to process what he was going to do. But when I turned around to run from the room I saw the door was gone, leaving nothing but a corner. I looked back at him, seeing he was quickly nearing me with the knife.

I let myself get cornered; only having time to look at him before I felt the sting of the weapon in my chest.

"_Only one can leave…"_

I began to curl into a ball, but he grabbed my head by the roots of my hair, glaring at me like I was responsible for what happened to him!

"…_and sadly, I cannot let you be the one to go…"_

He began throwing stabs into my head and neck, and my world was quickly fading to black.

"…_with my head giving me my mind, I'm going to enjoy the world…"_

I collapsed to the floor, taking one last stab in the chest where my heart was, letting it rest from the work it did – forever.

"…_while you stay behind, and become the next mannequin."_

The last thing I saw was him leaving, the door wide open – mocking me!

"_Good-bye, Alfred_._"_

Now was the time I remembered his name, the name that matched the face. The face of the man who killed me.

"Come back… Matthew…"


	3. Heart

****Heart ending. ****

Figuring that the mannequin didn't have a preference about which part it got back first, I put the head key in my pocket. Time to go get the heart!

Scooting around the mannequin, I went downstairs to the door with the heart on it, turning around to look back at my follower nervously. Would it want me to put it in for it, or could it manage? The though of holding a heart cut from someone's chest sickened me, making me gag as I unlocked the door once we got to it.

I took a deep breath, looking back at the mannequin once more. It stood there, arms behind its back like it was patiently waiting. "What are you waiting for, Alfred?"

The voice reminded me; the sooner I got out the better.

I pushed the screen door open after I unlocked it, having seen nothing but the wall before; I wanted to see the rest of the room.

After turning to the right, however, I regretted it.

There, hanging on a string with laundry hanging out to dry, was a human heart – white and gray and dripping dark gray blood. Yet, it was pumping as if it weren't on a string, but in the body where it belonged. Worse, it was making that sound – thump dump, thump dump, thump dump – loud and clear.

I was sickened, gagging silently as I back up against the wall behind me, feeling some pain in my own chest where my own heart was currently overworking itself.

Suddenly, I saw the mannequin rush in from outside the room, arms outstretched to its heart as if it were a lover it hadn't seen in twenty years. I watched as the mannequin pulled its heart from the line, holding it in its palms like it was water in a desert, "Ah, my precious heart…" I heard the voice say. "…my heart…"

It kept repeating those words, the mannequin slowly turning to face me while it was placing its heart in the proper place – as if I'd enjoy its gruesome show! What is there to enjoy about someone's hand in their chest, squeezing and pushing a muscle into place while the revolting sounds fill the air?

_P-Please…stop that! _I thought, eyes getting wider and wider. The voice only got louder, and the voice began to get louder as it continued chanting, "…my heart, my heart, I'm reunited with my heart… my heart, my heart, I'm reunited with my heart…"

_Stop! _I begged, looking down and grabbing my head, _Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop! Please! Stop!_

The voice continued, "…I'm…"

_Stop!_

"...reunited…"

_I'm begging you!_

"…with my heart…"

After that, the voice faded away. I opened one of my eyes and looked back up at the mannequin, now making final adjustments to its heart before its arms fell to its sides in relief. I stood there, watching it enjoy feeling blood pulse through its veins (if it had any) before it seemed to jump, like you do when you suddenly remember something. It then pushed past me again, dashing to the first room I came across when I came upstairs.

_W-wait,_ I chased after it; _we haven't gotten your head yet!_

When I got to the room, it was tugging at the door, kicking it, doing everything it could to get it open.

I approached it, reaching out to tap its shoulder, before it suddenly stopped.

I looked at it questioningly, watching as it turned to face the wall. The mannequin faced at the wall for a second before it lifted up its hand, dragging its finger across the chalk pictures like it was reading them.

The pictures! I forgot all about those! Maybe it understood what they meant! _Hey… do you know what that says?_

It reached the end of the line of pictures, and bringing its hand down after pointing at the last one, "Ah, I understand…" the voice said, "…Alfred…"

I leaned forward a little bit, anticipating what it was going to say next. _What?_

It just stood there, arms limp by its sides, and its heart slowly getting faster in it beats. I watched as its fingers began to shake violently, heard its breathing become erratic, "…oh, dear…"

My own heart was uncontrollable at this point, it hurt my entire chest, and all I could manage was to ask it, _Are you okay? Does this mean something bad? Why are you acting like this?_

"…Alfred…" he said again, "…thank you."

That was when he spun around so quickly, its heart now thumping and threatening to fall out of its chest again – holding a knife tightly in its hand above its head as if to stab me!

It took me no time to process what he was going to do. But when I turned around to run from the room I saw the door was gone, leaving nothing but a corner. I looked back at it, seeing he was still standing there with the knife.

I stumbled backward into the crook, wide eyed and frightened.

"_Only one can leave…"_

I began to panic, _What are you doing? Why are you holding that knife?_ The mannequin grabbed the knife with both of its hands.

"…_I will not be the one to go…"_

It then brought the knife down into his chest, dark grey instantly bleeding from the wound.

"…_with my heart giving telling me what to do, I'm going to let you enjoy the world…"_

It brought the knife out, bringing it back before stabbing itself again, repeating the process quicker and quicker.

"…_while I stay behind, as the mannequin."_

It stopped stabbing itself, letting go of the knife before falling to the floor, hands landing in front of him palms down – the index fingers and thumbs making a heart shape.

"_Good-bye, Alfred_._"_

The door slowly opened, as if it were calling me to leave.

But I couldn't move. I couldn't even think. I was too far in shock and drowned in fear to even realize that I could leave. How could I, though? I just watched a headless mannequin kill itself! Couldn't I take it with me, bury it properly? The sight of it lying on the ground, I couldn't stand it; I had to close my eyes.

It was an hour, two, or three maybe before I could move again – opening my eyes and looking down at the mannequin. It was still dead, but now it had a head.

The hair… it looked so familiar…

I sighed, crawling out of the corner to head towards the door, avoiding the body as best as I could. What was the name of the person who had that kind of hair? I kept on staring at it before I could remember, and that was when I got to the door.

I made fists with my hands, feeling guilty that I let this happen. "I'm sorry… but I thank you…" I said in a whisper, "…Matthew."

And with that, I walked into the vast, white landscape, hoping I'd return to a place I knew very soon.


	4. End

Matthew winced every time I mentioned that there was a knife stab, gasped every time I described the mannequin, and cried when I told him about how my dream ended, before pulling me into his embrace. "Oh, Alfred…"

"Mattie, it's nothing, I'm all cool now!" I laughed, trying to cheer him up.

"But, Alfred… you couldn't talk! You couldn't see color!" Matthew tightened his hug around me, "You can't be so calm after a dream like that!"

I patted him on his back, "Mattie, Mattie, it's all right. It didn't really happen, so there's nothing to be crying about."

He sniffled bit, tears that were wetting my bomber jacket lightened up. "True, but maybe your dream was trying to tell you something. Like, what if one of us needed to have some sort of surgery where we needed the other's help?"

"I'll try to be there, at least." I replied, standing up with him still hanging onto me, "Right now, we're healthy and alive, right?"

"R-right…"

"We're not gonna abandon the other, right?"

"Yes, of course."

"We're gonna go get something to eat now, right?"

Matthew looked at me with his you're-so-stupid-but-I-still-love-you face – one eye narrowing while the corner of his mouth curves upward while he tries not to smile. "Of course we are," he tapped a finger on my nose, "But you're paying."

I sighed, "As always!"

Laughing, I followed him down the street towards a restaurant, trying to ignore the mannequins in a store window still waiting to be dressed – one of them headless, with a square where the heart should've been.

****This took me about four hours to write, because I'm not really in a typy mood. But I saw a game which inspired me to write a short story. Emphasis on short. I like how this turned out, actually, and I might add onto this story later on if I feel like it.**

**This story was inspired by the game Which, if you haven't played it just go watch a play through on YouTube. I changed a few things about how the game worked for this story, but they were very minor changes. **

**Also, I couldn't figure out which category this goes in exactly, and I may have rated it too high. I'll fix it if I need to, it's been forever since I've typed a story. **

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this story, and I hope to get some feedback on how I could do better next time. **

**Remember, call me sick, call me insane, but don't call me Crazy, because I'm Crazee Canadia. **

**And I'm going to bed now. ****


End file.
